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Rebel leader 'is new Ivorian PM' | Rebel leader 'is new Ivorian PM' |
(about 5 hours later) | |
The leader of Ivory Coast's New Forces rebels, Guillaume Soro, is to be named as prime minister, his group says. | |
Mediators from Burkina Faso say an agreement was signed on Monday but President Laurent Gbagbo has not yet confirmed the reports. | |
Mr Soro, 35, and his bitter enemy President Gbagbo signed a peace deal in Burkina Faso earlier this month. | |
Ivory Coast has been in crisis since the New Forces seized the north of the country in September 2002. | Ivory Coast has been in crisis since the New Forces seized the north of the country in September 2002. |
BBC Ivory Coast correspondent James Copnall says that if Mr Soro is named prime minister, it would mark an extraordinary about-turn. | |
The rebel leader has frequently spoken of his hatred of President Gbagbo, a man he took up arms to overthrow. | The rebel leader has frequently spoken of his hatred of President Gbagbo, a man he took up arms to overthrow. |
There are also doubts about whether the military wing of the New Forces, which is often more hard-line than Mr Soro, will accept the decision, our reporter says. | |
'War is over' | |
"The two parties signed the document yesterday [Monday], and now it remains only for Gbagbo to sign the decree appointing Guillaume Soro prime minister," Burkina Faso Security Minister Djibril Bassolet told the AFP news agency. | |
GUILLAUME SORO 1972: Born to poor farmers in north1997: Imprisoned for leading student protests2000: Asked to head youth wing of Gbagbo's party2002: Named rebel leader Profile: Charming rebel | |
Mr Gbagbo's spokesman refused to comment but the president did say on national television that a new government would be in place within a week at the latest. | |
"I can assure you the war is over," he said. | |
The formation of a new government was part of the peace deal Mr Soro and President Gbagbo signed at the beginning of the month. | |
Current Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny was appointed by the international community at the end of 2005. | Current Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny was appointed by the international community at the end of 2005. |
He was meant to have extensive powers but President Gbagbo made it clear he would not relinquish his authority to the prime minister. | He was meant to have extensive powers but President Gbagbo made it clear he would not relinquish his authority to the prime minister. |
On Monday Mr Banny said he was prepared to sacrifice his position if it was in the interests of the nation. | On Monday Mr Banny said he was prepared to sacrifice his position if it was in the interests of the nation. |
Our reporter says the latest peace deal is seen as Ivory Coast's best chance yet of coming out of its prolonged crisis. | |
But the personal rivalry between President Gbagbo and Mr Soro, and their failure to implement past accords, mean Ivorians are not overly optimistic this time round, he says. |
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